Links à la Mode : Week of July 29th

I was featured in Independent Fashion Bloggers' Weekly Best Links posting.. Check out the other great posts from this week!

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Links à la Mode: The IFB Weekly Roundup 7/29

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Looking back, moving forward?
Edited by: Florrie Clarke of Intrinsically Florrie

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This week’s links bound across time as we go from the first incarnations of the handbag, to both the glamour and reality of the mid-20th Century and the modern phenomenon of online shopping. And when, in all this, will women be happy with their bodies? Debenhams may now be using unretouched images alongside the photoshopped, but the Daily Mail and the UK’s new equalities minister have decreed a new, and for a lot of us unattainable, body shape for us to aim for.

Links à la Mode: July 29th

• Amanda Lee: How to Do More With the Clothes You Have [Instead of Buying More]
  
• An Early-Life Crisis from Academia to Art: My 26th design project on my quest to teach myself to sew and reach 52 in a year! Also includes my own sleeve sewing tutorial and this week’s project stats
  
• Beyond Fabric: A thought on online shopping – is it worth building your wardrobe online?
  
• Blah Blah Becky: LOVING iconic British brand Whistles’ AW10/FW10 lookbook
  
• Brooklyn Posh: starting to love thyself : the health/weight debate
  
• Beautifully Invisible: 10 curvy women – past and present – who are the epitome of sexy.
  
• Dramatis Personae: Ch-Cha-Chain- Coveting & Craving Chain Jewelry
  
• Fashion Limbo: 90s nostalgia after a party on a boat. I go through some memorable teenage-hood highlights
  
• Independent Fashion Bloggers: Fair Compensation Manifesto
  
• Intrinsically Florrie: Looking to the French pâtisserie Ladurée for design inspiration.
  
• Make the World a Prettier Place: Are women tired of distressed jeans and messy buns? It is time to leave this trend behind and dress up – even for everyday life!
  
• Malvestida: The Headress day… a day that’s all about sharing creativity!
  
• Mariel’s Castle: Experimenting with the newest nail trend
  
• Oranges and Apple: On glamorising vintage life
  
• Retro Chick: Friday Frock Love: Poppy Valentine
  
• Scene On the Street: NYC: Mod Scientist – Scene On the Street
  
• The Coveted: American Living $250 Gift Card Giveaway
  
• The Demoiselles: UK department store shuns retouching…why can’t we live in the UK?
  
• The Embellished Life: Do you have a hankering for handbags? Enlighten yourself with the heroic History of Handbags on The Embellished Life!
  
• The Fashion Police: Why size should never be a fashion statement
  
• What 2 Wear Where: Mad Men Mania: effortlessly polished Betty Draper

Project #27: Owl Neck Cuff Dress

Back to another project! I'm really into trying different things with sleeves, so I thought of a very flowy end would be fun.

I also wanted to try my hands at elastic thread. I've never worked with it, but definitely will have to to get the sleeve just how I want it.

As you should know, I also love an interesting neckline, so I thought I'd try this one out. I called it an owl neck, because that's what it remind me of, the head of an owl.

[Image courtesy of : http://farm1.static.flickr.com/205/510206292_e862364a8c_o.jpg ]

So anyway, I got this really fun patterned fabric. It's definitely water, animal, nature.. And I love it. We'll see what I can do with that as well.

I've always loved patterns, and now that I have a great fabric store, Gaffney Fabrics, near where I live that carries fabulous ones, there will definitely be more of a variety in my projects!

Design Nostalgia

Because I've reached my halfway point with this project, I thought I'd look back at all of my designs, and post my Top 6 favorites!

6. Project #11 - Low V-neck Flannel Shirt

An interesting note : This was the first time I've used pinker shears, used around the neck ruffles to avoid sewing straight edges.

5. Project #5 - Vertical Stripe Button Sweater

An interesting note : This was the first time I've used knits, which I found I really love working with!

4. Project #24 - Pattern Cropped Flow Dress

An interesting note : This was the first time I deliberately tried to match pieces together and have the pattern on the fabric flow throughout the dress. I succeeded for the most part!

3. Project #4 - Pleated High-Waisted Polka Dot Dress

An interesting note : This was the first design I made based on a cartoon character, Toad from Mario Brothers. I should try that more often, love the results!

2. Project #26 - High-Waisted Ruffle Dress

An interesting note : This was the first time I've worked with structured fabric. It may be my newest, but it has quickly become one of my favorites.

1. Project #10 - Twisted Abstract Dress

An interesting note : For long time followers, this should be no surprise. This is the first dress I made specifically for someone to wear to an event (Erica's senior art exhibit), and she looked amazing.

Tell me, which is YOUR favorite?

Project #26 Completed!

I've done it! I'm halfway there! I slaved away at this one yesterday because I'm terribly behind. I think I should be at around 30 at this point.. But I'm catching up!

Anyway, I'm very excited to show this one.. It came out (for the most part) just how I wanted it to!



So what do you think? I really love it. I think the contrast between the black and the 80's ruffle pattern is very fun and I also feel this could be worn during the day and at night. I mean, I wouldn't wear it to the office, but you could wear it out on the town shopping on a weekend, no?

The only part that I didn't accomplish was the puffed sleeves. The top fabric was too heavy to make that happen, so it ended up falling flat. But it's okay.. I don't think the dress is killed without them.

Project #26 Stats :
Supplies to make this dress : Black lycra/rayon fabric, Multi color ruffle silk fabric, black thread Total Cost to make this dress : ~$4.00

Total Time to make this dress : ~3 hours

So, to continue, I'm adding to my blog a bit. I think it's lacking in content, so that's why I'm trying to incorporate my random sewing techniques, as well as, my designs and some stats.

Speaking of sleeves, I've been meaning to show you how I do them.. ever since my "sleevelation". Now, don't take it from me.. I don't do things the "proper" way.. I just make them up as I go. But, it works, so I do it!

Step one : Cut out an appropriate size piece to fit the hole.

Step two : Measure how big you need the connecting hole to be, and measure how big you need the open hole to be. Pin a pattern that will fit the arm.
(*Note : the connecting hole is larger than normal on this one, I tried to have it doubled and create the puff of the sleeve, but it didn't work out.)


Step three : Sew along the line you marked with pins, cut off the excess.


Step four : Have the sleeve inside out, and the shirt/dress inside out. Fold the connecting hole out, pin to the inside of the shirt hole (so that you're pinning the right-sides out together.)

Step five : Keep pinning until it is all the way around, sew that together, and get a sleeve!

Now, if you were to have someone where this often, and wash it, you would need to reinforce that seam with a stronger edge stitch, but for my purposes, I don't until I know someone will be wearing it!

Okay, feedback is always great! Let me know what you think of the design! Also, let me know if you like the new blog changes or if there's something else you'd like to see!

Project #26: High-Waisted Ruffle Dress

I'm on a mission to update a lot this week, as I'm behind.

But do you realize what Project #26 means? I'm half way to completion!

This design is inspired by the fabric, solely. I had to have it when I walked into the fabric store, because it was very fun, very 80s/90s, and I had the perfect design for it in my head immediately! The fabric store I got this from is Gaffney Fabrics, Germantown Ave, Philadelphia. If you're in the area, they have amazing prices.. And the store is large. If you sort through it all, you can find great stuff!

Ruffles are definitely on the rise, again, so it's timely and I have high hopes for the execution :

For this, I'm going to have a turtle neck, puffed sleeves, and a high-waisted skirt attachment.

I don't want to show you the fabric yet, it'll be a surprise. That's all I'll leave you with for now, I'll try to have this finished soon!

Project #25 Completed!

This one is a bit hard to photograph. I will try in the morning to get better pictures, but here's what I got.

So, the fabric : Like I said before, it's see-through.. I mean, ideally, it wouldn't be, but I really liked the fabric, and wanted to try working with something a little different. It's hard to tell from the photos but.. There are felt-ish polka dots around it, as well as glitter. So it's a bit shiny/metallic and much less drab than the pictures are showing. (And yes, polka dots again.. It was bought on the same day as the green dress.. I guess I was in a mood.)

I kind of like the way it turned out.. I like how on the hips it creates a more dramatic/pronounced effect. I took pictures of the garment alone, then tried to give the effect of what something under it might look like :

Overall, this is not one of my favorite executions/use of fabrics.. but I still stand by the design.. I may try something like this again in the near future.

Also, it's hard to get the true idea from the dressform.. I swear, one day my sister will model these. As for now, I'm stuck in my little apartment in Philadelphia, sewing away!

Very excited for my next design! The fabric is fun!

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Project #25 : Shaggy Hip Dress

I really like the idea of emphasizing the hip area, because no matter what.. Girls look better with curves (but let's not get too crazy!) I've done a dress in the past (Project #15) where I tried to make the hips puff out. My sister really liked the idea and it made her silhouette more voluptuous(?).

So, I wanted to try something of the same idea, but put a little spin on it, because I like to give new takes to things. I thought it might be interesting to try to have fabric just hanging around on the side area of the hips, and if put in the right spots and sewn in correctly, could be a pretty accent, interesting, but also give the feel of a more curvy silhouette.

I have great fabric, though see-through, that I think is interesting, and it also is great for draping, light, and flows. I think the see-through(ness) of it is also interesting because you can do what you want underneath.. Pair it with jeans and a white top, try a tank top dress, or if you really want, nothing.

I also may add lace on top of it, we'll see how I think it looks.

Here's what I'm going for :

I'm also very into more rounded necks right now.. and almost off the shoulder, but not. And I thought a cute crop sleeve would be appropriate.

We'll see how it turns out!

Project #24 Completed!

That was quick! Actually, I've been working on this for three days, on and off, but I did the bulk of the work today. I'm pretty happy with it.. I just wish that I had a thicker belt.


The main pattern that I cared about was following it down the middle. Most of it follows throughout the whole dress though, which I'm really happy with. I think it's a little loud, but also interesting.. And I do love a dress like that.

There it is! I think the fabric is really cool, and notice how the bottom actually flows! I sewed and cut the skirt part much different than I normally do.. I kept the waist tight, and sewed folds to make the skirt come out as you get lower. And I think it was effective.


I like it! I might have another dress for you tomorrow.. Another one with cool fabric!

Project #24: Pattern Cropped Flowy Dress

I think it's time to make my blog a little bit more insightful. Perhaps, so you can understand where I'm coming from with my designs and what I'm trying to do with them.

This design (my first in Philadelphia!) was really inspired by the fabric. So far, I've only been to a nearby fabric store, which I love! It has a bunch of fabrics, many types, many patterns, etc, and the prices are really reasonable. If I had more time (I didn't have quarters for the meter so I was trying to beat a cop to my car), I could have easily spent an hour just looking through and finding different patterns, ideas, and designs. I went into the store with five different designs on my phone that I drew, and I ended up leaving having fulfilled maybe a half of one.. I was more intrigued by the patterns.

I stumbled upon an interesting green polka dot one, and as I sat down looking at it, and designing, I knew I wanted to have everything line up. I wanted the patterns to be followed through in some way, as it was sewn together.

An example of what I'm talking about is from Alexander McQueen, who does this often :

I mean, mine would be nothing like this, but you get the idea.. Of how the fabric is cut in a particular way so that it is symmetrical and sewn in the right places.

So, that's what I'm trying to do with this design :

Not only that, but I'm trying to make it flowy (finally). How many past designs were supposed to be that way, and it didn't work out? So, I'm determined this time, and I know I have enough fabric!

So, I'm going to get back to work, and finish this one up. Should be posted later today!

Project #23: Corset Cardigan - Completed!

I really like the way this one came out! The design I drew was clearly translated in the creation, and that always makes me excited.


Continuing to try and use up the fabric I have stored, I stumbled upon some old fabric I had from the cardigan I made myself for St. Patrick's Day. It is sweater type material, so I got to designing, and I thought up this guy:

It reminded me of some sort of jockey jacket.. When I finished it, it reminded me more of a corset. I think it's pretty cool, and fresh. I'm surprised how well the colors work, I think they look really cool together in this design. You can do a lot of cool color combinations with this one and have it look good.

The buttons are also cool.. They're a mixture of blue and white.

Anyway, I'm happy I finally really enjoy a design of mine.. So there it is!

Projects #20, #21, #22 Completed!

I know, I'm completely behind! Life has been ridiculous.. Planning a move, finding a job, gathering for an apartment, etc.. So, I've been falling deeper and deeper into a pit of behind-ness. So this week, I decided to try to make 3 different garments in 3 days to catch up! And I did it!

The first is some leggings. I have a bunch of fabric lying around and have been thinking of what to do with it. So, I decided to pair some black lace, over gold taffeta to make some sort of look. I know they aren't practical, due to the nature of the fabrics, but I think they look kind of cool.. and with the right outfit, could be very interesting.

The next is a one shoulder dress. I wanted to try something different with a dress.. that wasn't with sleeves, without sleeves.. But both! So, I came up with this little one shoulder number. I think it comes off a little dark and heavy with the fabric, but in the light can be really pretty. I added a little fringing aspect to the top, with the inside-out fabric facing out. I thought it needed something above the fabric because it's a pretty generic design.

The last is a simple spring dress. I found this fabric on sale while out shopping and wanted to try something fun with it. At first, I was thinking more bathing suit inspired shirt, but I wanted to do a bit of cropping at the shoulders and try something new. So, I did just that! It's quite bright, but I still enjoy it. I really want to see it on the body. I added fringes on this one too, and it comes off on the shoulder a bit as a little cap, which I thought was cute. I didn't have enough fabric to make it more flowy on the bottom, which was disappointing. (This design looks much better in person.. Hard to get the fabric in the right light on film.)

Also, with the last two designs, I added a side seam zipper instead of the back one, which I normally do. It's MUCH easier, and much easier to conseal, so I'm definitely sticking with that method (though invisible zippers are expensive).

That's all the time I have, I'll try to do something similar next week before I pack! I'm leaving July 10th for Philadelphia!